Starting Fiddle

Hi Owen,
Most diesels of that generation, you have to turn the key to "on" and wait for the glow light to go out before starting, especially when cold. If the glow light's not coming on when the key's turned to "on" it sounds like maybe there's a problem with the electrical contacts within the key cylinder. Question - when you do your fiddle and the glow light comes on, does it stay on for a bit and then time out and turn itself off, or do you have to just regulate how long it stays on yourself?
Tim Z

Had the same problem with mine and replaced the ignition cylinder and the problem disappeared.

Well, I'll be darned!!!

When I "worked" for State Rail in NSW about 15 or so years ago, we had a HJ60 that did exactly that and despite going back for repairs at the State Rail workshops umpteen times, they could never fix it.

They gave us a can of Aerostart to start it in the morning.

hi i'm assuming it is a 2H motor. if so the pre heat light and the glow plugs both work on different systems ie you can pull out all the glow plugs and the light will still function as normal. when everything is ok you should turn on your ignition and listen for a cilck that will occur after about 5-7 seconds. Then start your truck. after another 15 or so seconds if you have got good hearing you will hear another click. The first click is the full pre heat and the second is a reduced voltage pre heat that is designed to ensure that the motor doesn't cough and fart.Basically ignore the light. If the first click is short only 2-3 secs and the engine is grumpy new glow plugs are needed. ALWAYS replace them all at the same time. Some late 40 series you cant hear the second click (probably because the truck rattles so much) By the way the glow plugs are only 6 volt
The other main problem is where the long glow plug bar (the bar that links the glow plugs to each other) meets the short glow plug bar. they get a dirty connection and don't allow full voltage to the plugs.
Hope this has shed some heat on the subject.

gday.
usually when you don't get a click at all from the 5 or so 2h motors i've had, it was the glow plugs themselves but try to clean all the contacts on the preheat bars first as the dont (or shouldnt) get hot they only relay voltage. If they are getting hot (you can usually see the black coating on the short bar is bubbled or brittle) then there is a poor contact between the two bars or it is earthing out( crook glow plugs) enjoy